UNPO: Ahwazi: Countrys Highest Poverty Rate For Arab Ahwazi ▪ Iranian.com

Khuzestan is the richest region in Iran and the source of its oil, but the indigenous Arab people suffer the country's highest poverty rate. Why are the Arab Ahwazi people the poorest in Iran? To answer this question, it is important to look at the factors that have created the situation in Khuzestan province. Labour is a major factor that affects the living standards of societies. Although few human rights activists look in depth at labour issues in Ahwaz, it is crucial to look at what kind of difficulties Arab Ahwazi workers go through. A growing body of evidence shows that high labour standards play a major factor in improving living standards in many societies. Labour rights are a key component to a functioning democracy and an equitable and sustainable economy. Yet, this is not the case in Khuzestan. Racism, anti-unionism and authoritarianism are three main issues that affect labour in the province. According to research by the Middle East Forum, the unemployment rate in Iran is around 12 per cent. However, the actual figure is way higher than that. During the last 10 years, only in Khuzestan has the unemployment rate has increased from 16 to 18 per cent. Around 50 per cent of Arab women and young people are unemployed. In rural areas, the overall unemployment rate reaches 20 per cent. Despite the province's fertile lands, farms are suffering from lack of investment which leaves many farmers without work. Racism is one of the main reasons for such unfair labour practices. Ahwazi Arabs are denied jobs throughout the region. A good comparison is the seven per cent unemployment rate in the Persian majority city of Dezful, compared to 31-50per cent in Abadan and Mohammerah (Khorramshahr). Read the full article...

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G. Rahmanian

Maziar Jaan,
Yes, it was Mr. Koohzadi. A nice guy.

You are younger than me. Those were the good days, though.

This comment was removed by the Iranian.com Staff for violating our Commenting Standards

Maziar Jaan,
I was at Manoochehri. Not a great school, I know. My father didn't know much about Ahvaz, so he took me to Manoochehri. It was from 1966 to 1970. I also lived there as a college student from 1972 to 1976. Then as a college teacher from 1978 to 1982 when I left for good.

maziar 58 – Maziar

I think Mr.Koohzadi was the Naazem Ass,Principal.
72-776 I was an H.S kid in Dr, Hessabi mahale Aaraba!
78-82 I was an Student in Univ. Of Rome Italy.......

FYI Ahvaz is my second hometown, if I may call it that, and the blog is factual. Many live in Asiaabaad, Hasiraabaad, Khazalieh, Lashkaaabaad, Kampolo and other suburban areas of the city.I went to school with many of them and many were my friends. In junior high I helped some with their studies and was always rewarded with their mothers' kind words in Arabic(some could not speak Persian because they had never been to school and as kids lived in neighborhoods where Persian was not spoken)and kisses on top of my head. I have fond memories of those years.

Thanks Simorgh for the post.

Mr. Rahmanian
Which year and school was that?
Damet garm Hamshahri.
Kaash Iran could adopt similar laws like USA where Alaskans are entitled to profit sharing from drillings on their lands.

AryanCulture

I didn't know that, I'm an Ahwazi!!!! I grew up there and hardly saw an Arab in the city. Basically, they lived by the border of Iraq, not in the city of Ahwaz.
Long live the land of Aryan from China all the way to the center of Europe.

SimorghRises

It is a known fact that Iranian Arabs are routinely discriminated and subjected to racism on a daily basis. The Terrorist Regime is screwing over the Arab minority demishing houses, discriminating against them for being Sunni Muslims, preventing them from celebrating in public Sunni muslim festivals, preventing the use of ful Arabic names and surnames and banning the open celebration. All the things it accuses Israel of doing in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The only difference is that the IR Terrorist Regime can get away with it while the so-called humanitarian Palestinian loving Iranians don't say JACK SHIT.Why? Because the persecutors are not Jewish. The stupid stupid stupid Iranian Left.

Zendanian – An injury to one is an injury to all.

Simorgh thanks for this timely blog. Of course I agree with everything in here, except your last sentence. It is actually historically and factually incorrect. You could check the archives on many Iranian Leftist sites and most of them for the past 34 years have been defending the rights of Iranian- Arab minority inside Islamic Republic of Hell. Good the see you back, cheers.